Women coop builders

[Tala]

I'm the only one who does anything around here. I build coops, build fences, fix cars, change/fix tires, trap and dispatch the predators, work on the lawnmower (ok, I never have managed to fix it....), mow the lawn clean up the yard, work long hours at work and still find some social time, do most of the dishes, most of the laundry, take out the trash, do all of the vacuuming, etc. Basically if I don't do it, it won't get done.
My father in law sometimes helps me with moving heavy stuff, or odds and ends that I need help with, but most of it is usually me. I certainly do all the planning and designing even if he does help dig post holes occasionally.

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Fabulous coops that I'm seeing here!! Go Ladies!!! Whoop!!

Yes, I have a fear of the circular saw too, but my kids can dial 911, so I figure I wouldn't bleed out if I had an "ooops" LOL

The scariest tool for me was the grinder. The thing you grind off the screws that poke out the back side of the wood? I didn't want my chicks to get cut on them, so I "cowgirled up" and went for it. I hated the burned metal smell and was terrified of all the flying sparks. Fire scares me worse than any saw.

 

[BayonettaK]

I too am responsible for everything house and home, kids and pets, lawn and garden, cooking and cleaning, so for me to build a coop is nothing new lol. I know my hubby will help me out when needed, but I am the one coming up with the plans, and I am also the one who's a wee bit more handy with the tools

Everything from putting furniture together, hanging ceiling fans, to changing shower heads has all been done by me in my house, and as a mom of 4 it was pregnant or not, otherwise nothing would have ever gotten done. my poor husband would be completely confused with my scratched out plans and directions, he can't put a computer desk together- imagine what our chicken coop would end up looking like!

~Kim

 

[Bev in Nevada]

My Husband was killed in the line of duty two years ago on the 3rd of June.(Navy) We (my two boys, 18yrs & 16yrs) and I have been working on turning an outbuilding 12x12 into a coop/hen house since we have see coyotes walk down our road. My boys have hauled away the "Junk" and I have been working on perches, nest boxes, painting the inside. "Grand pa" is coming in a couple of weeks to install the electricity (he's a retired licensed electrician) So hopefully soon I will have photos of the "new" coop.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

I'm finishing mine for the big chickens today. My first was for the quail. I have building experience but not really fencing experience.

Things I found...
gloves, need 'em
ear protection, especially if using the compressor
The fence never layed well. I will do the two board sandwich technique next time instead of just stapling fence to one side of the wood.
There is some power equipment that I hate to lug out for one use or don't like to use because I only weigh 110 pounds and the power is too much. I just do it the old fashioned way with hand tools slowly. I've been working on a dead apple tree with a hack saw for a few weeks and its only hanging by less than an inch now. No chainsaw needed! The day I throw it on the burn pile dh will be bringing home a new chain saw no doubt.
Plan for twice as much time as you think it will take.
Home Depot and Lowes have good info on building technique usually. Bob Villa used to but lately the site is so overwhelmingly commercial it may be hit and miss. I've picked up a lot of info from Norm on New Yankee Workshop.
Some of the first small fencing projects my dh, the not-handy man, did were not braced in any way. Those funny metal do hickeys that people put at the end of the boards, or when there four boards make a square and there is that diagonal one that goes on a corner are important. He didn't do any of that and now that garden fence is falling in on itself. There has to be something that adds strength to keep it sturdy. I am going the easy route with the diagonal board.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

Hey Amp--heres what I built with no skills:

If I can do this with no carpentry skills, you can too! My silkies love their coop. Oh, and I built the run as well. Not bad for an old woman with no skills and little time!

 

[BWKatz]

Quote:

Thanks! My military wife mantras generally include, "It is what it is. You have to be independent, or you will lose your mind in a really boring way" "They cant keep him forever" and "Stupid Boat!" depending on the situation. For this project, my biggest obstacle so far is the cluttered pit that he loving refers to as "the garage." I cant find a darned thing in there! I've called him 3 times today for directions to find whatever tool (or battery charger... that, last I knew, was supposed to be in the HOUSE

) I needed at the time. Its a good thing he's not deployed right now, or he'd be coming home to a brand new set of hot pink power tools in a hand crafted locked cabinet!

Actually the pink tools are a good idea. After 40 years of marriage and raising a son, I got a set. It was easier than constantly trying to find theirs or claiming mine from my son. Neither would be caught dead with pink tools.

Oh and I'm 60, walk with a cane and last at max an hour working. Been at my 8x8 coop & 9x16 run since Nov but it's all mine. Just be careful not to lift anything t..o..o heavy with being pregnant.

 

[Wise Woman]

Quote:
I am so sorry to hear about your husband. My daughter's fiancee was killed two years ago May 6. He was in the army and an only son. He didn't have to go, but begged to. It took him 3 tries before they agreed to let him go to Iraq. He saved about 5 guys in his unit by stepping in front of them and taking shots. So sad for all the lives lost over there. What a brave woman you are. My hat is off to you!

 

[patandchickens]

I'm in the same situation as Tala. (In fact, my husband is now half-kicked-out (4 days per wk) til he gets his act together, in other ways I mean, ahem, so now I get to take on all of what little he DID do, too, such as mowing 3/4 acre of fast-growing lawn, oh joy)

But with modern precut lumber and power tools, there isn't really any particular disadvantage in being female (unlike 200-300 years ago when you needed *strength* to be able to whack down trees and use giant saws to cut them into lumber and so forth).

I built my first chicken tractor in the weeks right around my second child's birth. It worked out FINE... only, my strong advice would be to try to plan things so you are not doing all the construction crouched down on the driveway, which is not real easy when you are 8.5 months pregnant and carrying low

I'd suggest either whipping together a big workbench first, or using the picnic table if you got one!

Just pick a version that matches the level of your enthusiasm for learning new skills. Read the manuals for the power tools ALL THE WAY THRU, paying special attention to the "do not do this, do not do that, always do this" section. Or if you prefer, get a book or two out of the library, there are LOTS of books aimed at helping people get started (a lot of them revolve around 'how to build a shed', but browse the whole shelf)

The big two things are to be safe (which is largely just common sense), and remember IT'S JUST A CHICKEN COOP

All sorts of things can be disguised with paint and trim and so forth, and at the end of the day, your chickens are NOT going to be out there with a level and plumb-line, they just need a predatorproof roof over their heads

Madsenaccord, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE that pink tractor!!!

Good luck, have fun, go for it!,

Pat

 

[WoodlandWoman]

How many chickens are you getting and how large a coop are you planning to build?

It's pretty easy to build small coops on your own. Larger coops are a lot easier with two people doing it together. At least, raising the walls and dealing with the roof. Even then, you can build the wall framing on the ground ahead of time.